


Under the Same Sky

by Ph03nixs_FicStop



Series: ShuAke Week 2020 [1]
Category: Persona 5
Genre: Akeshu Week 2020, Alternate Universe - Childhood Friends, Chance Meetings, Gen, Hope, M/M, Shuake Week 2020, Stargazing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-17
Updated: 2020-11-17
Packaged: 2021-03-10 03:46:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,355
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27607160
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ph03nixs_FicStop/pseuds/Ph03nixs_FicStop
Summary: [Maybe talking while stargazing on the riverbank wouldn't be considered the best way to hang out with someone, but for him and Akira, this is just how it was. They could let go of pretenses here, because their true selves would only come out to the people they trusted and when they were alone and comfortable.]-An AU oneshot for ShuAke Week 2020 -> Day 1:Hope/Stars/Fantasy ft. the"Make this Place Your Home"AU series
Relationships: Akechi Goro & Kurusu Akira, Akechi Goro/Amamiya Ren, Akechi Goro/Persona 5 Protagonist
Series: ShuAke Week 2020 [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2018432
Comments: 5
Kudos: 27





	Under the Same Sky

**Author's Note:**

> **Beta'd by DrNekuAdano**
> 
> _**Please welcome my second Beta Reader, DrNekuAdano!** _
> 
> _Another heads up, this fanfic is related to the["Make this Place Your Home"](https://archiveofourown.org/series/1877584) AU series, but is also not entirely canon to it either. Please check it out if you're interested!_

* * *

_**"Though I'm going to see it off without reaching it, the world is going to revolve."** _

* * *

XX/XX/2012

Tonight it was Akira's last night in Inaba. He had done it. Goro managed to complete his bond with Akira Kurusu, his Death Arcana. The duo arrived at, the Samegawa Floodplains, the very place they intially first met each other. Goro had made sure made sure that Yu and Nanako would cover his night escapades tonight because it was "something important to him".

Maybe talking while stargazing on the riverbank wouldn't be considered the **best** way to hang out with someone, but for him and Akira, this is just how it was. They were able to drop their facades here and let their true selves be free to those they trusted the most, including each other.

When Goro first met the jet-black haired boy, he had been silently crying to himself on the riverbank. He had looked troubled and while Goro was initially going to leave him be, a group of boys his age came around to go surround the ravenette. It was obvious that Kurusu was younger and smaller than them. To see them just bullying someone more helpless than himself, Goro could not stop himself from rushing in to defend the boy, Robin Hood stirring in his soul as he ran in.

By defending him from his tormentors, he didn't realize how much that action would change the course of not only the boy's life, but his own. After he had scared off the raggedy group of bullies, he tended to Akira, who questioned why he'd save someone like him, "a dead man walking" if he remembered the phrase he had said initially. While thankful, the younger boy told Goro that he shouldn't waste his time with someone like him or his _weirdness_ would infect him, but all Goro could see in him then was himself, before Yu found him, before he became Goro Narukami, gaining a family of his own. He was determined to forge a bond with him, grabbing the boys hands and telling him off for thinking something so stupid. Akira had been so surprised back then when this stranger, who had no idea of his reputation at school or all the rumors, insisted that those who created and spread the rumors were wrong and that he was stupid for believing them over himself. Tears of sadness became tears of laughter, Akira laughing at the boy before the other became frustrated and pouted at him, making him only continue.

As they spent more time together, Goro learned of Kurusu's situation, how he had fallen into this pit of despair, and how others only seemed interested in seeing how far he'd spiral down it. Kurusu's father died over a year ago during a trip with him and his mother. His mother fell into a depressive state while Akira forced himself to be _strong for them both_ , isolating himself from others to focus on being the “Man” of the household once his father passed away. Rumors broke out at school that "Akira had killed his father", and that "His dead stare was all the proof anyone needed to see he really did it". Other pieces of evidence included how little Akira had been attending classes and how he was a social butterfly before the accident. Worst of all, he withdrew himself from the other kids out of guilt from his kill. Their parents didn't step in to stop their children from creating such childish rumors as they too had built their own falsehoods. Some pitied Akira for having to mature at a young age to care for his household, others became disgusted at Kurusu's mother for her weak will and for falling into depression so quickly.

With so many rumors and misconceptions floating around, the weight of it all crushed Akira when he finally returned to school. He became reclusive, avoided all eye contact so people wouldn't see the crying child within, and felt emptier as time went on. While his mother had the chance to grieve, Akira never got the chance to properly mourn, and that affected him deeply, as he fell victim to those false rumors all too easily, trying to numb the pain all the while.

The time they spent together became a change of pace for them both. For Goro, it was the chance to open up about the past he'd been trying to avoid, while for Akira, it had been the chance to mourn and talk about the person his father was to him. Then there had been the freak incident of the P-1 Climax during a sleepover that forced Akira to face his self-loathing Shadow to protect Goro, granting the ravenette his persona, Arsene. Alongside Goro, Akira felt his old mask break, and was slowly able to overcome his grief to regain who he really was, a cheeky, bright young boy that was loyal and never backed down from a challenge.

In the end, Goro hearing him out and having someone to empathize with him and his situation, Akira gained the strength to talk to his mother about everything, how he loathed that she had practically abandoned him, leaving him with no chance to mourn over the same person they lost, how the rumors and backhanded looks around town made him feel, and how he hates that she tries to ignore that his father's existence now that she's mourned. Kurusu-san opened her eyes to her son's suffering witnessed the child she had forgotten in her agony, and begged for forgiveness, from both him and her husband above.

Akira would soon be moving away to a new town to have a new chance to begin again. It was the chance to start over. Goro should have been happy, having helped bring this to fruition, but now he'd be losing a friend. Goro had grown to love the playful banter between them, his reckless nature, his loyalty, and their shared competitiveness. Truly, Akira was someone that could understand him, but now they had to part ways.

As per usual whenever things regarded Akira, the ravenette broke his thoughts and spoke out into the starry night sky. "I'm going to miss this Gororo..." he spoke quietly.

Goro nearly snapped upright from the other's childish nickname for him, but held back the urge as he listened to the words and the way Akira was relaxed laying down on the grass. They were laying side-by-side, close together but not enough that they'd be touching unless they scooted closer. He wanted to make the first move, but the brunette kept to himself. Tonight was for Akira, not him.

"You're going to miss what exactly? The view of the night sky here?" He asked in an innocent manner, goading the answer out of him.

Akira fell for the bait and pouted at him. "You know exactly what I mean!" He huffs before scooting closer to the brunette, a hand moving to intertwine with his own.

Goro felt his face burn as the tips of his ears gained a gentle shade of rose over them.

"Spending time with you. Going out to Aiya's together. Our sleepovers. Fighting by your side whenever we could sneak into Junes... I'm going to miss that all, but more importantly, I'm going to miss you, Goro!" Akira admitted before moving to lean his head against Goro's shoulder. The elder boy could feel an unfamiliar sensation when they touched, the feeling easing itself into something more comfortable as they stayed close.

“You must be feeling sentimental if you're bringing out my real name instead of your silly nicknames.” Goro teased with a small chuckle to himself, before he returned to looking up at the stars, occasionally glancing back at the other boy at his side. "I'm going to miss you too Akira, but you deserve a new chance elsewhere! Give it time, people will forget those false rumors and unwarranted feelings. Maybe then, you could come back to Inaba...and if that doesn't work, we always have Tokyo.” Goro explained before chuckling to himself quietly. “Nothing can keep us apart if we try hard enough.”

“But what if I don't get to see you for a long time?” Akira whined before squeezing onto his hand tighter, the younger looking straight at him now.

“Then it'll be fine. We're both under the same sky, aren't we?” Goro sighs in a wistful manner before returning the squeeze back, a small smile on his face. “Just look up to the stars and think of me... we'll continue to stargaze together, even if we can't be together anymore.”

“Promise?”

“Promise.”

-

* * *

“ _ **Seeing off a falling star, I understood the reason I'm here, stargazer!”**_

* * *

04/09/2016

He was going to be late! Goro couldn't afford to be late, not with everything he had at stake should he fail. The mental shutdown had gone as planned, and it wouldn't take long to see the effects in the real world soon enough.

That didn't make him feel any less sick with each order. Just what was he becoming? Damn that Shido! He didn't want to be anyone's damn attack dog, but ever since he fell into the Mementos and played right into Shido's hand, it felt like it was over. Nothing felt the same to him anymore, nothing was safe, everything was just an added weakness to his spread-thin heart. He had to remember who he's doing this for, the people he's trying to protect by keeping this facade up and the consequences they'd fall into if he slipped up too soon. It was all a game, one where he'd come up on top soon enough. Once he gained Shido's trust and his rise of power was at its peak, he'd remind him exactly how he got there. Show him who really was in control, and that his little puppet had broken past his strings.

Goro must have been lost to his thoughts for quite some time as it wasn't long before he crashed right into someone. He fell right on top of them, his cheeks burning in embarrassment as he looked down to see the unlucky victim. “Watch where you--!!”

Steely gray eyes looked back at him from behind a pair of glasses, curly black bangs covering a good portion of his face, while their hair was messy in a fashionable sort of way. He looked demure and timid with the glasses and the surprised expression on his face, but he could see those eyes held something more beneath them. What was it? Goro wanted to know.

“I-I'm sorry..”

Upon closer examination, this stranger bore a striking resemblance to an old friend, one he tried to forget due to the unusual circumstances of their disappearance. _He should have never let Akira go that night_ , maybe then he wouldn't have fallen from grace. Perhaps this was fate, a punishment for his mistake with Akira, but damn if he wasn't going to spite fate for throwing such a challenge towards him by making it work for him instead.

Goro pushed himself off the other boy to stand up, dusting himself off once he was upright again. He then extended his hand to the stranger, ignoring the crowd slowly growing around them. Looks like he'd been recognized again, and the media would have a field day with him once more.

“My apologies. I wasn't watching where I was going. Are you alright?” he asks softly, in hopes of not intimidating the stranger.

The stranger picks their phone off the ground, and checks it, looking over it as if there had been something on it beforehand. They put it away afterwards, staring right back at him, his posture holding anxiety within it. “..y..yeah, I'm fine. Are you? Sorry to bother you, but do you know where the Yongen-Jaya line is? It's my first day in Tokyo and my phone's acting up.” they state nervously as their demands, but their accent tells Goro that this person is far from home, the countryside maybe?

They're lost. Very well, challenge accepted. Escorting someone through the subway certainly shouldn't take long. “You're in luck, I certainly do, but we must move quickly. Follow me.” Goro starts as he leads the stranger through the crowd, the reluctant hand in his giving him a distant but familiar feeling as they weave through Shibuya together.

“Th-There's no need to--!!” The stranger starts, looking shocked and flustered as he's being led around, making Goro grin smugly to himself as he leads. “Th-There's no need to--!!” He attempts to start before sighing and giving in. “ _You're a bossy one.._ ” he mutters quietly before smirking, not even trying to hide the light pink on his cheeks. “Must be popular if you're trying to run away. Can I at least get the name of the handsome stranger escorting me?”

That almost stops Goro where he stands, and for a moment as he looks back at the stranger, a ghostly afterimage of Akira is there alongside the stranger, both of them sharing the same expression to a T. He can feel his cheeks burn slightly from the tease. This stranger is just as infuriating as he was, but he can't let that show now. He's acting as the charming Detective Prince right now, not plain old Goro.

“Akechi Goro, and you are?”

A memory replayed in his mind as he introduced himself. That starry night. The many days where he'd find himself looking up at the night sky above him, wondering if that troublesome ravenette was seeing the same thing wherever he was. Their talks and moments of weakness that only the stars were witness to.

“Amamiya Ren. Nice to meet you, _Gororo_.”

He flinches. That nickname. Was he? No. It was just a coincidence.

Amamiya doesn't stop there though, he decides to add one last thing to his little introduction.

“Sorry, but have we met before? You look _**familiar**_.”

The hope that Akira still was waiting out there for him, one that Goro holds close to his fragile heart, burning red-hot that day. Perhaps they will cross paths again one day...

**Author's Note:**

> AAHHHH!! I hope this is okay! I'm a day late, but I needed a serious de-stresser from all the crap I'm going through with Finals Week in university right now. I didn't mean to participate this year, but this plot bunny has been on my mind all day, I needed it out, so time to stick to it??? 
> 
> Wish me luck on making today's prompt AND doing my coursework simultaneously.
> 
> Honestly, thank god for my betas because this is when my writing is probably the worst, but THIS IS ALSO WHERE I GET THE MOST IDEAS!! AAAAHHHH!!!
> 
> Final thing, the song that inspired this oneshot is called **["Stargazer"](https://youtu.be/bfbHm3L2aTQ)** , an old Vocaloid song, but it did its job of staying on repeat and getting me through my fic writing!


End file.
